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IAC-36: Identification & Authentication for Third-Party Technology Assets, Applications and/or Services (TAAS)

IAC 9 — Critical Protect

Mechanisms exist to identify and authenticate third-party Technology Assets, Applications and/or Services (TAAS).

Renumbered: Formerly IAC-05 in SCF 2025.4.

Control Question: Does the organization identify and authenticate third-party Technology Assets, Applications and/or Services (TAAS)?

General (23)
Framework Mapping Values
AICPA TSC 2017:2022 (used for SOC 2) (source) CC6.1 CC6.1-POF8
CIS CSC 8.1 5.5
CIS CSC 8.1 IG2 5.5
CIS CSC 8.1 IG3 5.5
CSA CCM 4.1.0 IAM-13
IEC 62443-2-1 2024 USER 1.1 USER 1.6
IEC 62443-3-3 2013 SR 1.2 SR 1.2 RE 1
ISO 27002 2022 5.16
ISO 27018 2025 5.16
MITRE ATT&CK 16 T1036 T1036.001 T1036.005 T1059 T1059.001 T1059.002 T1213.003 T1525 T1546 T1546.006 T1546.013 T1553 T1553.004 T1554 T1562.006 T1562.009 T1566 T1566.001 T1566.002 T1598 T1598.002 T1598.003
NIST 800-53 R4 IA-9
NIST 800-53 R5.2 IA-09
NIST 800-82 R3 IA-09
NIST 800-161 R1 IA-9
NIST 800-161 R1 Flow Down IA-9
NIST 800-161 R1 Level 2 IA-9
NIST 800-161 R1 Level 3 IA-9
NIST 800-171 R3 (source) 03.05.01.a 03.05.02
NIST 800-171A R3 (source) A.03.05.01.a[03] A.03.05.02[01] A.03.05.02[02]
NIST 800-207 NIST Tenet 3 NIST Tenet 4
NIST CSF 2.0 (source) PR.AA-01 PR.AA-03 PR.AA-05
PCI DSS 4.0.1 (source) 8.2.3
PCI DSS 4.0.1 SAQ D Service Provider (source) 8.2.3
US (2)
Framework Mapping Values
USA Federal DHS CISA TIC 3.0 3.PEP.ID.SIDEN
USA Federal IRS 1075 2021 IA-9
EMEA (2)
Framework Mapping Values
EMEA Spain CCN-STIC 825 op.acc.1
EMEA Saudi Arabia CSCC-1 2019 2-2-1-7
APAC (2)
Framework Mapping Values
APAC New Zealand HISF MLHSP 2023 HHSP49 HML49
APAC New Zealand HISF Suppliers 2023 HSUP41
Americas (1)
Framework Mapping Values
Americas Canada ITSP-10-171 2025 03.05.01.A 03.05.02

Capability Maturity Model

Level 0 — Not Performed

Practices are non-existent, based on the inability to demonstrate an implemented and operational capability. A reasonable person would conclude the control is not being performed.

Level 1 — Performed Informally

SCR-CMM Level 1 criteria definitions are not available for this control: ▪ A reasonable person would conclude this control requires a structured process. ▪ At this level of maturity, the "ad hoc" nature of performing a capability informally would indicate the intent of the control is not met due to a lack of consistency and formality.

Level 2 — Planned & Tracked

Identification & Authentication (IAC) capabilities are requirements-driven, but are not standardized across the entity (e.g., local/regional level consistency). Capability criteria associated with this control reasonably expect the following criteria to exist: ▪ Policies and standards associated with IAC domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with IAC domain capabilities are documented and maintained by process owners. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel work with business stakeholders and process owners to appropriately scope and reasonably implement cybersecurity and data protection controls associated with IAC domain capabilities to address applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). ▪ Identity & Access Management (IAM)-related controls are primarily administrative and preventative in nature (e.g., policies, standards and procedures & guidelines) to enforce Logical Access Control (LAC). ▪ IAM may be a defined function (e.g., team or department) or assigned as an additional duty to existing IT and/or cybersecurity personnel to implement Role Based Access Control (RBAC) practices for the management of user, group and system accounts, including privileged accounts. ▪ A directory services technology is used to centrally manage identities and permissions with RBAC. Due to technical or business limitations, asset/process owners are empowered to operate a decentralized access control program for their specific Technology Assets, Applications and/or Services (TAAS) that cannot be integrated into directory services. ▪ Configuration management and IAM functions collaborate to ensure Secure Baseline Configurations (SBC) enforce “least privileges” on TAAS.

Level 3 — Well Defined

Identification & Authentication (IAC) capabilities are standardized across the entity for applicability to People, Processes, Technologies, Data and/or Facilities (PPTDF) to ensure consistency for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). Capability criteria associated with this control reasonably expect the following criteria to exist: ▪ Policies and standards associated with IAC domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with IAC domain capabilities are well-documented and kept current by process owners. ▪ An Identity & Access Management (IAM) team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain IAC domain capabilities. ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of IAM operations (e.g., directory services, Authenticate, Authorize and Audit (AAA) solution). ▪ The entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function, works with business stakeholders and process owners to appropriately scope and reasonably implement cybersecurity and data protection controls associated with IAC domain capabilities to address Minimum Compliance Requirements (MCR) (e.g., applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements) and Discretionary Security Requirements (DSR) (e.g., entity-required controls). ▪ An implemented and operational capability exists to identify and authenticate third-party Technology Assets, Applications and/or Services (TAAS).

Level 4 — Quantitatively Controlled

Utilize SCR-CMM Level 3 criteria definitions: ▪ There are no defined Level 4 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a quantitatively-controlled process is not necessary to operationalize this control. ▪ While it may be possible to develop “metrics-driven” capabilities for this control, the criteria would be organization-specific to define.

Level 5 — Continuously Improving

Utilize SCR-CMM Level 3 or Level 4 (if available) criteria definitions: ▪ There are no defined Level 5 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a continuously-improving process is not necessary to operationalize this control. ▪ Level 5 capabilities should be considered “world-class” where the control builds on Level 4 capabilities, but are continuously improving through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Learning (ML) technologies. ▪ While it may be possible to develop responsive capabilities for this control through the use of AI and/or ML technologies, the criteria would be organization-specific to define.

Assessment Objectives

  1. IAC-36_A01 system services and applications to be uniquely identified and authenticated are defined.
  2. IAC-36_A02 system services and applications are uniquely identified and authenticated before establishing communications with devices, users or other services or applications.

Evidence Requirements

E-IAC-05 Identity & Access Management (IAM) Function

Documented evidence of an Identity & Access Management (IAM), or similar function, that facilitates the implementation of identification and access management controls.

Identity & Access Management
E-IAC-06 Authenticate, Authorize and Audit (AAA) Solution

Documented evidence of an Authenticate, Authorize and Audit (AAA) solution (on-premises and hosted by External Service Providers (ESP)).

Identity & Access Management

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • Microsoft Active Directory (https://microsoft.com)
  • Microsoft Entra (https://microsoft.com)
  • AWS IAM (https://aws.amazon.com)

Small

  • Microsoft Active Directory (https://microsoft.com)
  • Microsoft Entra (https://microsoft.com)
  • AWS IAM (https://aws.amazon.com)

Medium

  • Microsoft Active Directory (https://microsoft.com)
  • Microsoft Entra (https://microsoft.com)
  • AWS IAM (https://aws.amazon.com)

Large

  • Microsoft Active Directory (https://microsoft.com)
  • Microsoft Entra (https://microsoft.com)
  • AWS IAM (https://aws.amazon.com)

Enterprise

  • Microsoft Active Directory (https://microsoft.com)
  • Microsoft Entra (https://microsoft.com)
  • AWS IAM (https://aws.amazon.com)

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